


Holding Out

by Urbisa



Series: Red Ryder [5]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Drunken Shenanigans, F/F, Military Training, Prelude
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 11:42:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13635585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Urbisa/pseuds/Urbisa
Summary: Unbeknownst to the rest of the crew, Sandy Ryder has found a bottle of Ryncol. Shenanigans ensue.





	Holding Out

**Author's Note:**

> AAAAAAAA sorry for the long wait! I present to you a short prelude to Part 5 of my Red Ryder series! This is far moee light hearted than anything else I've done, so please share your thoughts with me!
> 
> Note: as this is a short taster to the rest of the work, there may be some bits that don't quite make sense in context with the rest of the series (eg Ryder's translator is working again?) Rest assured that all plot holes will be plugged when I (eventually0 release the rest of Part 5

"The regular, standard-issue Cyclone assault rifle is a beast of a weapon. With a fire rate of over 100 rounds per minute, as well as a built-in coolant system, this puppy could turn a gibbering horde of Vorcha to red slime in seconds, and still have ammo left over to mark the shooter's initials into a wall." The Pathfinder ran her fingers over the smooth metal of the gun, tracing every notch and indent with near-reverence,

 

"Every shot impacts the target with enough stopping power to pulverise carapace, flesh, bone and armour, all up to a range of 50 metres. This monster was so nasty that it was almost impossible to get if you weren't in the Turian military. Fortunately," Sandy smirked, casting a knowing at the assembled militia recruits, "impossibilities are kinda my thing..."

 

The militia recruits stood in silence, caught off-guard by the sudden change in topic- up until a few minutes ago, the Pathfinder had been going over basic first aid with them. In fact, one unfortunate asari was still lying at her feet, unsure whether the demonstration of CPR was still going to happen or not.

 

After what seemed like hours of silence, a quiet voice piped up from the back of the group. "Erm, ma'am? You said something about standard-issue first aid ki-"

 

"Good ears! Or, well... whatever you turians have," Sandy smiled, brandishing her gun at the expectant group. Up above the group, watching on a balcony, Suvi buried her face in her hands. "I mentioned that the regular Cyclone is a beast, but this here," the Pathfinder gestured to her gun, sweeping it in front of her haphazardly, "is no 'standard-issue' gun!"

 

Suvi had been watching this 'training session' for close to an hour now, and had scarcely stopped laughing since the start. It had all started innocently enough- Sandy had wandered over to a frustrated looking Kandros and offered to run the next militia induction session. Naturally, he accepted, but he was in such a rush to get back to his office that he didn't notice the empty bottle of Ryncol that the Pathfinder clutched in white-knuckled hands.

 

From that moment onwards, everything had only deteriorated: a lecture on the safest way to hurdle obstacles had turned into a parkour race to the bar; a grenade went off whilst Sandy tried to educate the group on the best way to serve different cocktails; a krogan had to be taken to the medbay after she had headbutted him, and now this...

"... and that's not all! You see this bit here? This boosts the fire rate to almost 5000 shots per minute, can you imagine?!" The class, obviously not listening at this point, didn't respond, save for a few krogan who had gathered around the Pathfinder. "Oi!" Sandy yelled, a look of intoxicated annoyance flashing across her face as she realized the class wasn't listening to her, and Suvi watched with mounting concern as Ryder fiddled around with her gun.

 

Sandy Ryder's short temper was infamous across the Initiative- from her now legendary outburst at Director Tann, to the time she got wasted at Vortex, the general populace was under no illusion that their Pathfinder was anything short of crazy when she was even mildly inconvenienced. But few outside of her crew had ever seen her when she was absolutely furious, at least not in person.

 

First time for everything.

 

The roar of gunfire filled the air, slicing through the silence like a knife as the gathered crowd's screams mixed into a deafening cacophony. Klaxons and alarms blared, barely drowning out the shrieks of scientists and soldiers alike as the sprinkler system came online, bathing the entire plaza in freezing cold water. At the centre of it all stood the Pathfinder, face a mask of dark glee as she removed her finger from the trigger.

 

It took a few moments for the screaming and alarms to stop, and only when every single person on the deck stood to stare in confused silence did Sandy say anything...

 

"Now I've got your attention, I'll continue. Now," she gestured to her soaking wet gun, slurring slightly as she continued, "this bit here toggles between blanks and regular ammo..."


End file.
